{"title":"Africa","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"vanadite-1","title":"VANADINITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eOutstanding and unique grouping of vanadinite from one of the more sought after pockets in the extensive Mibladen workings. While most specimens that come out of the region show vanadinite spread out along a piece of host rock, this piece consists of one massive, complete cluster of multiple generations of crystals with minimal matrix. One can certainly tell when feeling the weight, as it's over 5 pounds! The crystals themselves are tightly interlocked with all different shapes and sizes, giving it a unique, almost etched appearance, with color ranging all the way from brick red to beige to black.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/a99711f0c080487f956e02cc41766705.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 2019 mining push at Mibladen - part of a broader resurgence of small-scale shaft sinking following years of market dependence on old stock - produced a material recognizably distinct from classic Mibladen vanadinite. Crystals from this period are prismatic to thickly tabular hexagonal prisms typically reaching 1.5–2.5 cm, strongly color-zoned between amber-gold and deep garnet-red within individual crystals, and notably gemmy relative to the flatter, more opaque material characteristic of earlier finds. Specimens occur predominantly as floaters extracted by hand through extremely confined passages, which accounts for their general freedom from matrix damage but also for the high proportion of contact marks on the base faces. The \"Orange Crush\" designation has been applied by certain dealers to describe the best zoned material from this period rather than a single documented pocket, and the name is not universal in the trade. A separate 2018 ACF Mine find produced skeletal orange-red crystals with a distinct morphology, confirming that the 2018–2019 window was broadly productive in ways earlier decades were not. The most saturated zoned examples from 2019 remain the most sought-after Mibladen material to emerge in recent years, and the best pieces were absorbed into collections quickly after reaching the market.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen Mining District, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46940681568544,"sku":"CMVNA001","price":2300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0119_ded7b91d-27df-4d97-8423-81b905d13cc4.jpg?v=1774139183"},{"product_id":"vanadinite-with-calcite","title":"VANADINITE WITH CALCITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eIt takes something special to stand out among the tons and tons of vanadinite from the extensive workings in Mibladen, this here is one such piece: a simply stunning, humongous cluster on matrix with a coating of calcite druze. The coverage goes over almost the entire top, save for a small patch where sheets of barite are visible. Many of the vanadinite crystals are blood red all the way through, many have beige color on the sides, and some have an almost black coloration. The drusy calcite could easily be removed, though no guarantees on how the underlying crystals would look afterwards. Personally, I like the contrast and sparking luster that this epitaxial layer adds to the piece. It's no exaggeration to say that there are thousands of vanadinites present here, and just the size of the specimen alone makes it stand out in any collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMibladen is a stratiform Pb-Ba deposit hosted in Lower Jurassic (Liassic) limestones and dolomites of the High Atlas approximately 25 km northeast of Midelt, mined commercially for lead by French operators from the mid-1930s until closure in 1983. Vanadinite formed secondarily as the arid climate of the Atlas facilitated oxidation of galena without the interference of significant rainfall; vanadium sourced from the surrounding sedimentary sequence combined with lead in the oxidation zone to precipitate the hexagonal lead chlorovanadate. Crystals are typically thick tabular to prismatic hexagonal prisms, predominantly deep red to orange-red, with color zoning occasionally visible as a saturated orange core transitioning to deeper red toward the prism terminations; a rare subset displays skeletal growth on prism faces producing a translucent cat's-eye effect when viewed down the c-axis. Most specimens are floaters or occur on tan baryte and limonite matrix. Since the industrial closure, the deposit has been worked periodically by small-scale Moroccan miners sinking shallow shafts from surface - a 2019 discovery sparked a significant mining rush producing new material after years of the market depending entirely on old stock. Praszkier's 2013 \u003cem\u003eMineralogical Record\u003c\/em\u003e account remains the definitive published treatment of the locality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen Mining District, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48277358870816,"sku":"CMVNA012","price":4500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/VANA12-1.jpg?v=1776211666"},{"product_id":"descloizite","title":"DESCLOIZITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSuper aesthetic miniature of the rare lead-zinc vanadate mineral descloizite. From the now closed Berg Aukas Mine in the Otavi Mountain region of Namibia, by far the world's best locale for the mineral species. There's an abundance of the beautiful, sharp dendritic blades that are sought after with these pieces, and they all have multiple patches of iridescence. The crystals also have a homoepitaxial growth on top that gives a super sparkly look when in direct light. As far as Berg Aukas pieces go, this is an excellent representation of what makes pieces from this locale so highly prized.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/d1ec4dbc96084c0d975fa703e9d7e5bf.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBerg Aukas is a Zn-Pb-V deposit hosted in Precambrian Otavi dolomite - the same carbonate-dominated Otavi Mountainland terrane as Tsumeb - worked from 1920 to 1978 with ore averaging 16.8% Zn, 4% Pb, and 0.93% vanadium pentoxide. Descloizite formed as the dominant supergene vanadate in the oxidized zone surrounding primary sphalerite-willemite orebodies, precipitating in vug and fracture fill within karst breccias as descending meteoric waters mobilized vanadium and deposited it as a lead-zinc vanadate hydroxide. A peer-reviewed \u003cem\u003eEconomic Geology\u003c\/em\u003e study (2007) dated the principal descloizite formation to 24–33 Ma, tying it to post-Gondwanan erosional episodes and Atlantic rifting phases rather than to primary mineralization. Crystals occur as spearpoint-shaped blades in divergent sprays, deep chocolate-brown with a submetallic to resinous luster, occasionally carrying a secondary calcite or dolomite overgrowth on crystal faces that produces a distinctive two-toned appearance. Berg Aukas is the undisputed world standard for the species - no other locality has approached it for crystal size or quality - and with mining permanently ceased in 1978, available material is limited to what was extracted across its six decades of operation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Berg Aukas, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48277514191136,"sku":"CMDCZ001","price":450.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_9290_33948c35-df7d-46e9-9171-29cda2f4cbdd.jpg?v=1773712867"},{"product_id":"quartz-var-amethyst","title":"QUARTZ VAR. AMETHYST","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eIntensely colored, beautiful, and doubly terminated growth of what has become known as Shangaan amethyst. Both sides show sharp terminations, one of which I think looks like a rhino’s horn. This large amethyst comes from a tribally collected locale that has become famous for both the quality of crystals and the sustainable practices used to extract them, and this is without a doubt one of the finest ones I’ve seen. The specimen is almost a complete floater, with good crystallization on all sides. Pockets of the crystal have been filled with clay which could be removed with further cleaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Chibuku Mine sits within the Zimbabwe Craton - one of earth's most ancient and stable continental blocks - in the Chiredzi District of southeastern Zimbabwe, where hydrothermal fluids circulating through fractures in metamorphosed Archean volcanic rock deposited quartz in open cavities. Amethyst and smoky quartz scepters from Chiredzi have been known locally for at least two decades, originally gathered from surface showings by members of the Shangaan people using only basic tools, with more systematic workings beginning in 2012. \u003cspan data-state=\"closed\" class=\"inline-flex\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThe purple coloration results from ferric iron in the quartz structure combined with natural gamma irradiation - standard amethyst coloration - but what distinguishes Chibuku material is the consistent co-occurrence of multiple unusual features: acicular hematite needles suspended within the crystal body, alternating smoky and amethyst phantom zones documenting cyclical shifts in iron oxidation and irradiation during growth, scepter morphology reflecting interrupted and resumed crystallization, occasional skeletal fenster windows, and rare enhydro inclusions. The adjacent Shangani Mine produces broadly identical material and the two are routinely conflated in the trade. Supply is artisanal and pocket-dependent, with drilling and blasting introduced at Chibuku after 2022.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chibuku Mine, Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48277526118688,"sku":"CMAMT005","price":1000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/Picsart_24-03-02_10-13-04-753_d7fa7675-f5e9-468b-9df2-00ee4c2e1d88.jpg?v=1717456114"},{"product_id":"azurite-bayldonite","title":"AZURITE \u0026 BAYLDONITE","description":"\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eClassic example of Tsumeb mineralogy! Sharp blue azurite crystals, partially pseudomorphing to malachite, grown together with an abundant group of the rare lead-copper arsenate bayldonite. The contrast of the deep blue with the multiple shades of green gives it what I can only describe as an alluring appearance. When one finds Tsumeb specimens of bayldonite, it's usually with patchy coverage and much duller color. Here we have rich and attractive minty green color, and the coverage is continuous throughout the whole specimen. There are a couple of other species present, though we haven't had it analyzed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/f9b87c02e96f4650809336bc51f7558c.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBayldonite is a lead copper arsenate hydroxide confined almost entirely to Tsumeb's first oxidation zone - the water table fluctuation zone above the 11th Level - where the full complexity of the deposit's supergene chemistry produced the arsenate-rich, lead-copper environments the species requires. Southwood's 2025 \u003cem\u003eRocks \u0026amp; Minerals\u003c\/em\u003e treatment confirms that bayldonite most commonly occurs at Tsumeb as a pseudomorph after mimetite, retaining the hexagonal prismatic outline of the precursor in oil-green to grass-green powdery to microcrystalline coatings; pseudomorphs after azurite, tennantite, and wulfenite are documented but considerably rarer. The combination of bayldonite pseudomorphs after mimetite as matrix, overgrown by sharp tabular azurite crystals, produces some of the most mineralogically layered specimens the deposit ever yielded - two sequential supergene stages preserved on a single piece. The earliest documented material predates 1920, and the first oxide zone was largely consumed by mining before mid-century. With the mine permanently closed since 1996 and the 2000s Ongopolo recovery effort yielding only marginal specimen production before abandonment in 2008, confirmed bayldonite-azurite combination pieces from well-documented early extraction are among the more scientifically significant subsets in the broader Tsumeb secondary mineral suite.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tsumeb Mine, Oshikoto Region, Namibia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48277636546848,"sku":"CMBYL001","price":450.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0417.jpg?v=1713637689"},{"product_id":"vanadinite","title":"VANADINITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNice large patch of vanadinite growing atop white host rock. Crimson red gives way to a less lustrous beige color on many of the crystals, creating an extra sense of dimension.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/acb24b6cfa4a466ab76ec84d736f91c3.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMibladen is a stratiform Pb-Ba deposit hosted in Lower Jurassic (Liassic) limestones and dolomites of the High Atlas approximately 25 km northeast of Midelt, mined commercially for lead by French operators from the mid-1930s until closure in 1983. Vanadinite formed secondarily as the arid climate of the Atlas facilitated oxidation of galena without the interference of significant rainfall; vanadium sourced from the surrounding sedimentary sequence combined with lead in the oxidation zone to precipitate the hexagonal lead chlorovanadate. Crystals are typically thick tabular to prismatic hexagonal prisms, predominantly deep red to orange-red, with color zoning occasionally visible as a saturated orange core transitioning to deeper red toward the prism terminations; a rare subset displays skeletal growth on prism faces producing a translucent cat's-eye effect when viewed down the c-axis. Most specimens are floaters or occur on tan baryte and limonite matrix. Since the industrial closure, the deposit has been worked periodically by small-scale Moroccan miners sinking shallow shafts from surface - a 2019 discovery sparked a significant mining rush producing new material after years of the market depending entirely on old stock. Praszkier's 2013 \u003cem\u003eMineralogical Record\u003c\/em\u003e account remains the definitive published treatment of the locality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen Mining District, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48286476927264,"sku":"CMVNA002","price":400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0012.jpg?v=1774195091"},{"product_id":"vanadinite-1","title":"VANADINITE","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA specimen of tightly packed vanadinite crystals with a deep crimson color atop matrix.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen Mining District, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48286478663968,"sku":"CMVNA004","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_9508-2.jpg?v=1717868800"},{"product_id":"vanadinite-2","title":"VANADINITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eLarge specimen with numerous groupings of vanadinite, colored brick-red to almost black in some parts. Some of the crystals are free standing, and many others joined together in tight clusters. For how large of a specimen this is, it’s impressive to note how dense the coverage is, with large crystals present in each area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMibladen is a stratiform Pb-Ba deposit hosted in Lower Jurassic (Liassic) limestones and dolomites of the High Atlas approximately 25 km northeast of Midelt, mined commercially for lead by French operators from the mid-1930s until closure in 1983. Vanadinite formed secondarily as the arid climate of the Atlas facilitated oxidation of galena without the interference of significant rainfall; vanadium sourced from the surrounding sedimentary sequence combined with lead in the oxidation zone to precipitate the hexagonal lead chlorovanadate. Crystals are typically thick tabular to prismatic hexagonal prisms, predominantly deep red to orange-red, with color zoning occasionally visible as a saturated orange core transitioning to deeper red toward the prism terminations; a rare subset displays skeletal growth on prism faces producing a translucent cat's-eye effect when viewed down the c-axis. Most specimens are floaters or occur on tan baryte and limonite matrix. Since the industrial closure, the deposit has been worked periodically by small-scale Moroccan miners sinking shallow shafts from surface - a 2019 discovery sparked a significant mining rush producing new material after years of the market depending entirely on old stock. Praszkier's 2013 \u003cem\u003eMineralogical Record\u003c\/em\u003e account remains the definitive published treatment of the locality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen Mining District, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48286479909152,"sku":"CMVNA005","price":1150.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0102_d0d98f9f-42bf-4f7f-988d-227d362fae00.jpg?v=1774199461"},{"product_id":"descloizite-1","title":"DESCLOIZITE","description":"\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThis is a truly grand statement piece of descloizite from the Berg Aukas Mine, long regarded as the undisputed best for the species! Berg Aukas was mined between 1913 and 1978, so even the most recently discovered pieces are almost half a century old. It's rare that one ever comes across a specimen this large from any locale. Not only does the size make it stand out, the whole face is covered with ‘spearheads’, the most desirable form of the mineral (most large pieces consist of much less attractive habits), and strong amber translucency also stands out in many of the blades. The combination of size, form, color, and visual impact make this one of the best pieces of Berg Aukas descloizite that I've seen anywhere. With the size of this piece, there's naturally some damage present, yet there are just so many quality crystals covering the face of it. This is a truly irreplaceable piece that speaks for itself!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/4c3b33b7ab534b319d80f507bad2e9e3.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBerg Aukas is a Zn-Pb-V deposit hosted in Precambrian Otavi dolomite - the same carbonate-dominated Otavi Mountainland terrane as Tsumeb - worked from 1920 to 1978 with ore averaging 16.8% Zn, 4% Pb, and 0.93% vanadium pentoxide. Descloizite formed as the dominant supergene vanadate in the oxidized zone surrounding primary sphalerite-willemite orebodies, precipitating in vug and fracture fill within karst breccias as descending meteoric waters mobilized vanadium and deposited it as a lead-zinc vanadate hydroxide. A peer-reviewed \u003cem\u003eEconomic Geology\u003c\/em\u003e study (2007) dated the principal descloizite formation to 24–33 Ma, tying it to post-Gondwanan erosional episodes and Atlantic rifting phases rather than to primary mineralization. Crystals occur as spearpoint-shaped blades in divergent sprays, deep chocolate-brown with a submetallic to resinous luster, occasionally carrying a secondary calcite or dolomite overgrowth on crystal faces that produces a distinctive two-toned appearance. Berg Aukas is the undisputed world standard for the species - no other locality has approached it for crystal size or quality - and with mining permanently ceased in 1978, available material is limited to what was extracted across its six decades of operation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Berg Aukas, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48286488494368,"sku":"CMDCZ002","price":2650.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0306.jpg?v=1713726473"},{"product_id":"ettringite","title":"ETTRINGITE","description":"\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eAttractive display of rich yellow ettringite popping out of dark manganese-bearing matrix. Most of the crystals are pristine though we’ve adjusted the price to reflect a couple of damaged crystals. The contrast of color and the three-dimensional arrangement certainly make for an attention grabber.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/d94866be6c4446f0adfe38aee3af67b7.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWessels is the pre-eminent locality within the Kalahari Manganese Field, the largest land-based manganese deposit on earth hosted in Paleoproterozoic Hotazel Formation banded ironstone - fault-controlled hydrothermal alteration of the primary manganese ore, documented by Beukes, Burger, and Gutzmer (1995), drove the exceptional secondary mineralization responsible for the district's 28 type species, of which Wessels alone produced half. Ettringite belongs to the supergroup of highly hydrated calcium sulfate minerals that crystallized within this hydrothermal alteration zone, precipitating as hexagonal prismatic crystals in vivid lemon-yellow on calcite or hausmannite matrix - the color is intrinsic to the calcium-aluminum sulfate structure rather than a trace chromophore. Confirmed ettringite crystals to 4–5 mm on matrix are documented, with the finest examples characterized by parallel growth groups with complete terminations. The mine remains active under South32 and intermittently produces new material, though collector access is tightly controlled.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wessels Mine, Northern Cape, South Africa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48286494392608,"sku":"CMETT001","price":200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0380.jpg?v=1773774237"},{"product_id":"fluorite","title":"FLUORITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eGolden-yellow fluorite cubes on a large slab of matrix from the capital of Moroccan fluorite, the El Hammam mine. Under strong lighting, the color is truly rich and just simply glows. This is a rich specimen, certainly noted is some bruising along the face. With that being said, it’s still a nice large plate with some nice crystals, and the condition of the piece is reflected in the price tag.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/34b95fb0ff854ac79092d288d870a17d.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Aouli deposit occupies a roughly 20 x 40 km ore province in the Haute Moulaya valley of the High Atlas, where northeast-southwest trending hydrothermal veins up to 40 meters thick and 13 kilometers long cut Paleozoic sedimentary host rocks - the veins were exploited industrially for galena by the Société des Mines d'Aouli from the early twentieth century, with fluorite present as gangue rather than economic ore. Yellow coloration in fluorite is generally attributed to irradiation-induced lattice defects, though rare earth element substitution remains a plausible contributing mechanism at Aouli and has not been formally excluded. Crystals are cubic, predominantly honey to amber yellow with strong vitreous luster, typically 1-3 cm and reaching 10 cm in exceptional cases on iron-stained quartz matrix; a distinctive subset from the Bou Adil vein combines yellow fluorite with pale violet amethyst - one of the more unusual color associations the locality produces. A persistent attribution problem runs through the collector market: material from the related Sidi Ayad and Sidi Said veins roughly 15-20 km distant is routinely labeled simply \"Aouli,\" as all were worked under the same company permits. Active permit holders technically prohibit collecting across the vein systems, yet local artisanal work continues, keeping supply intermittent and locality precision difficult to verify.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Aouli, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48286508319008,"sku":"CMFLR007","price":500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0625-2_98df0b02-814b-4190-ad6f-07983cd2dffa.jpg?v=1773775767"},{"product_id":"fluorite-1","title":"FLUORITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eAn excellent cabinet specimen of Malagasy fluorite with multiple cubes nicely spaced out. The white matrix makes the blue-green color of the cubes stand out strongly. Excellent deep purple fluorescence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/167980d705b442839616f6e8262d64fb.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMandronarivo sits in the Beroroha District of southwestern Madagascar, where hydrothermal fluorite mineralized in fractures cutting the Precambrian basement - the broader Toliara Province hosts a range of carbonate-associated hydrothermal deposits within this Gondwanan basement terrane. Crystals are cubic, ranging from translucent to near-transparent, in a deep forest-green with a pronounced marine-blue dichroism clearly visible in natural sunlight - a color-shift effect tied to differing absorption along crystallographic axes rather than any fluorescence mechanism, though strong UV fluorescence is also present. Large individual cubes reaching 6 cm on orthoclase or bare matrix appeared at Tucson 2018, marking the locality's effective debut in Western markets. A persistent trade confusion exists between Mandronarivo and the nearby Mandrosonoro locality in Ambatofinandrahana District - both produce green cubic fluorite of comparable quality, and the two names are routinely conflated on dealer labels. Despite prolific overall production, very few pieces of top quality and large crystal size have emerged \u003cspan class=\"inline-flex\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003efrom either locality, keeping fine examples consistently scarce relative to the volume of lesser material in circulation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mandronarivo, Atsimo-Andrefana Region, Madagascar","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48286514872608,"sku":"CMFLR002","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/Picsart_24-06-08_10-20-28-983.jpg?v=1717867433"},{"product_id":"dioptase-with-mimetite-duftite","title":"DIOPTASE WITH MIMETITE \u0026 DUFTITE","description":"\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThis large specimen comes out of one of the world's most renowned dioptase producing locales, the Mindouli Region, from the now closed N'tola Mine. There are at least five distinct minerals on this one piece: dioptase, mimetite, duftite, calcite, and dolomite. There appears to be some wulfenite crystals in the assemblage, though we never got the piece analyzed. The mimetite is crystallized in hexagonal bipyramids and dotted along both sides; mimetite and dioptase rarely grow alongside one another. One side shows a large group of small dioptase and mimetite crystals interspersed above patches of botryoidal duftite, complete with a unique bridged arch of dioptase. On the other side, larger dioptase crystals contrast gorgeously against a backdrop of light dolomite. The dioptase ranges in color from the typical emerald green to a bright turquoise color. Throughout the piece one can see cavities in the rock with crystals growing inside and the whole specimen is like its own world. One can easily get lost for hours looking at this specimen through a loupe!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/e26d930ea7814899a864644ec7a90c60.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMindouli sits along Route Nationale 1 in western Congo-Brazzaville, where Pb-Zn-Cu mineralization is hosted in silicified Neoproterozoic limestones of the West Congolian Supergroup cropping out over roughly 3 km along a limestone escarpment - deposits worked by French colonial operators from 1948 to 1960 and documented firsthand by Demetrius Pohl on Mindat. Dioptase crystallized secondarily in the oxidized copper zone as copper silicate hydroxide, with divalent copper in the cyclosilicate structure producing the saturated emerald-green color; mimetite formed concurrently from lead-arsenate fluids in the same cavities, precipitating as short yellow to orange hexagonal prisms. Both species grew on a matrix of glistening drusy dolomite over a silicified brick-red host rock, and the combination of green dioptase clusters against orange mimetite on white dolomite - with duftite occasionally present as a third phase - produces a trichromatic specimen with no close parallel at other dioptase localities. The N'tola Mine closed around 2019, fixing all available material to existing stock. Crystals are typically small, rarely exceeding 1 cm for dioptase, but the intensity of color and three-species associations on a single matrix piece elevate the material well beyond what size alone would suggest.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"N'tola Mine, Pool Department, Republic of the Congo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48286548820256,"sku":"CMDPT001","price":2000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_9517_f87aad36-7e1e-46c0-a190-790a5431a737.jpg?v=1773715313"},{"product_id":"vanadinite-barite","title":"VANADINITE \u0026 BARYTE","description":"\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTwo separate clusters of large, blood-red vanadinite crystals on baryte. Much of the baryte is covered by a different, darker mineral which I assume to be goethite, and much of the vanadinite is coated with white calcite. The combination of size and color on the crystals, together with the contrast created by all of the present minerals gives a lot of visual allure. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/2c05e48ff61e4ec385298e11948b48ee.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMibladen is a stratiform Pb-Ba deposit hosted in Lower Jurassic (Liassic) limestones and dolomites of the High Atlas approximately 25 km northeast of Midelt, mined commercially for lead by French operators from the mid-1930s until closure in 1983. Vanadinite formed secondarily as the arid climate of the Atlas facilitated oxidation of galena without the interference of significant rainfall; vanadium sourced from the surrounding sedimentary sequence combined with lead in the oxidation zone to precipitate the hexagonal lead chlorovanadate. Crystals are typically thick tabular to prismatic hexagonal prisms, predominantly deep red to orange-red, with color zoning occasionally visible as a saturated orange core transitioning to deeper red toward the prism terminations; a rare subset displays skeletal growth on prism faces producing a translucent cat's-eye effect when viewed down the c-axis. Most specimens are floaters or occur on tan baryte and limonite matrix. Since the industrial closure, the deposit has been worked periodically by small-scale Moroccan miners sinking shallow shafts from surface - a 2019 discovery sparked a significant mining rush producing new material after years of the market depending entirely on old stock. Praszkier's 2013 \u003cem\u003eMineralogical Record\u003c\/em\u003e account remains the definitive published treatment of the locality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen Mining District, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48392034025760,"sku":"CMVNA016","price":300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0513-2.jpg?v=1774200316"},{"product_id":"vanadinite-barite-1","title":"VANADINITE \u0026 BARYTE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eGorgeous and “floral” exhibit of bright vanadinite on white baryte that's been partially coated with a another darker mineral.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMibladen is a stratiform Pb-Ba deposit hosted in Lower Jurassic (Liassic) limestones and dolomites of the High Atlas approximately 25 km northeast of Midelt, mined commercially for lead by French operators from the mid-1930s until closure in 1983. Vanadinite formed secondarily as the arid climate of the Atlas facilitated oxidation of galena without the interference of significant rainfall; vanadium sourced from the surrounding sedimentary sequence combined with lead in the oxidation zone to precipitate the hexagonal lead chlorovanadate. Crystals are typically thick tabular to prismatic hexagonal prisms, predominantly deep red to orange-red, with color zoning occasionally visible as a saturated orange core transitioning to deeper red toward the prism terminations; a rare subset displays skeletal growth on prism faces producing a translucent cat's-eye effect when viewed down the c-axis. Most specimens are floaters or occur on tan baryte and limonite matrix. Since the industrial closure, the deposit has been worked periodically by small-scale Moroccan miners sinking shallow shafts from surface - a 2019 discovery sparked a significant mining rush producing new material after years of the market depending entirely on old stock. Praszkier's 2013 \u003cem\u003eMineralogical Record\u003c\/em\u003e account remains the definitive published treatment of the locality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen Mining District, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48392036581664,"sku":"CMVNA013","price":400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0565-4.jpg?v=1774209727"},{"product_id":"vanadinite-barite-2","title":"VANADINITE \u0026 BARYTE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eTons of bright red vanadinite blades, together with tons of sharp light baryte blades, with another darker mineral coating much of the latter. Fantastic visuals!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/3db7046d0c954867b9f1bfe045532944.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMibladen is a stratiform Pb-Ba deposit hosted in Lower Jurassic (Liassic) limestones and dolomites of the High Atlas approximately 25 km northeast of Midelt, mined commercially for lead by French operators from the mid-1930s until closure in 1983. Vanadinite formed secondarily as the arid climate of the Atlas facilitated oxidation of galena without the interference of significant rainfall; vanadium sourced from the surrounding sedimentary sequence combined with lead in the oxidation zone to precipitate the hexagonal lead chlorovanadate. Crystals are typically thick tabular to prismatic hexagonal prisms, predominantly deep red to orange-red, with color zoning occasionally visible as a saturated orange core transitioning to deeper red toward the prism terminations; a rare subset displays skeletal growth on prism faces producing a translucent cat's-eye effect when viewed down the c-axis. Most specimens are floaters or occur on tan baryte and limonite matrix. Since the industrial closure, the deposit has been worked periodically by small-scale Moroccan miners sinking shallow shafts from surface - a 2019 discovery sparked a significant mining rush producing new material after years of the market depending entirely on old stock. Praszkier's 2013 \u003cem\u003eMineralogical Record\u003c\/em\u003e account remains the definitive published treatment of the locality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen Mining District, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48392039891232,"sku":"CMVNA014","price":275.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0592-2.jpg?v=1774210561"},{"product_id":"cerussite-on-barite-galena","title":"CERUSSITE ON BARYTE \u0026 GALENA","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eA particularly sharp growth of cerussite, with terminations on both ends and reticulated growth visible along the sides, perched well atop a matrix of intergrown orange barite and galena. Bright yellow fluorescence under UV light. Many Moroccan cerussite specimens show good crystallization, yet not to the level with which this one formed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/2018bb5fbece4c9ab05830a14e8831a8.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLes Dalles sits within the same Lower Jurassic dolomite and limestone package that hosts the district's famous vanadinite, where galena oxidation in the arid High Atlas climate deposited cerussite in open fractures as descending carbonate-rich groundwaters dissolved and reprecipitated lead. Crystals are colorless to pale yellow or smoky gray with an intense adamantine luster characteristic of the species, typically forming tabular to acicular prisms in complex cyclic twins - the orthorhombic symmetry enabling pseudo-hexagonal reticulated groups in which multiple individuals interpenetrate at 60° and 120° angles. The most diagnostic secondary feature is strong yellow fluorescence under midwave ultraviolet, particularly vivid on Les Dalles material relative to other Moroccan cerussite localities. Pink and yellow barite blades serve as the most common matrix phase, occasionally producing two-toned specimens where translucent cerussite perches on contrasting colored sulfate. Extreme sensitivity to mechanical shock and perfect cleavage make pristine examples a small fraction of recoveries even under careful extraction, and damage-free cabinet-scale twins on matrix have always been scarce relative to collector demand. Supply emerges intermittently from small-scale artisanal workings rather than systematic mining, keeping availability unpredictable.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen, Midelt Cercle, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48392041890080,"sku":"CMCER002","price":600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/CERU2-1.jpg?v=1775001941"},{"product_id":"vanadinite-3","title":"VANADINITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLarge, partially elongated crystals of rich red vanadinite on top of a tall slab of host rock. The contrast between these two elements, combined with the large dimensions, make for an ensemble that quickly catches the eye.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMibladen is a stratiform Pb-Ba deposit hosted in Lower Jurassic (Liassic) limestones and dolomites of the High Atlas approximately 25 km northeast of Midelt, mined commercially for lead by French operators from the mid-1930s until closure in 1983. Vanadinite formed secondarily as the arid climate of the Atlas facilitated oxidation of galena without the interference of significant rainfall; vanadium sourced from the surrounding sedimentary sequence combined with lead in the oxidation zone to precipitate the hexagonal lead chlorovanadate. Crystals are typically thick tabular to prismatic hexagonal prisms, predominantly deep red to orange-red, with color zoning occasionally visible as a saturated orange core transitioning to deeper red toward the prism terminations; a rare subset displays skeletal growth on prism faces producing a translucent cat's-eye effect when viewed down the c-axis. Most specimens are floaters or occur on tan baryte and limonite matrix. Since the industrial closure, the deposit has been worked periodically by small-scale Moroccan miners sinking shallow shafts from surface - a 2019 discovery sparked a significant mining rush producing new material after years of the market depending entirely on old stock. Praszkier's 2013 \u003cem\u003eMineralogical Record\u003c\/em\u003e account remains the definitive published treatment of the locality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen Mining District, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48392045625632,"sku":"CMVNA009","price":900.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/Picsart_24-06-08_10-07-44-543.jpg?v=1717866682"},{"product_id":"vanadinite-on-barite","title":"VANADINITE ON BARITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eBright red vanadinite on top of bladed barite, all on a large host rock. Many of the barite blades are coated with growths of a black mineral, which I'd assume to be goethite though I can't say for sure. Keep in mind that the standing position we put the piece in for photography isn't super stable; the bottom could be trimmed relatively easily given the softness of the barite.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/d6e82dcab0444615836b8d295050ee3d.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMibladen is a stratiform Pb-Ba deposit hosted in Lower Jurassic (Liassic) limestones and dolomites of the High Atlas approximately 25 km northeast of Midelt, mined commercially for lead by French operators from the mid-1930s until closure in 1983. Vanadinite formed secondarily as the arid climate of the Atlas facilitated oxidation of galena without the interference of significant rainfall; vanadium sourced from the surrounding sedimentary sequence combined with lead in the oxidation zone to precipitate the hexagonal lead chlorovanadate. Crystals are typically thick tabular to prismatic hexagonal prisms, predominantly deep red to orange-red, with color zoning occasionally visible as a saturated orange core transitioning to deeper red toward the prism terminations; a rare subset displays skeletal growth on prism faces producing a translucent cat's-eye effect when viewed down the c-axis. Most specimens are floaters or occur on tan baryte and limonite matrix. Since the industrial closure, the deposit has been worked periodically by small-scale Moroccan miners sinking shallow shafts from surface - a 2019 discovery sparked a significant mining rush producing new material after years of the market depending entirely on old stock. Praszkier's 2013 \u003cem\u003eMineralogical Record\u003c\/em\u003e account remains the definitive published treatment of the locality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen Mining District, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48392050573600,"sku":"CMVNA015","price":800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0502-2.jpg?v=1774211690"},{"product_id":"rhodochrosite","title":"RHODOCHROSITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eGenerous coating of sharp, cherry red to orange rhodochrosite scalenohedrons atop contrasting manganitic matrix. The crystals are gemmy with superb sparkling luster, giving fantastic reflections in even dim light. On the front side is a ridge in the matrix with great coverage of rhodos that pops out to the forefront. Backside also has plenty of quality crystals, so this piece is attractive from all angles. The Moanda Mine in Gabon is a long-lost locale for rhodochrosite, and a more seldom known one at that. Modern workings go purely after ore, with no quality specimens surviving the process. Not a lot of well-formed specimens were unearthed there at any period of time, with much of the rhodochrosite that formed in the deposit having weathered to manganite, making this piece an unusually excellent example for the mine. This is in excellent condition, and any contacting or chipping isn't worth noting with how hard it is to spot amongst the numerous perfect crystals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/459a1d82b7154b6bb6ee25cea9a551a0.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMoanda is one of the world's largest and highest-grade manganese deposits, hosted in bedded Paleoproterozoic Francevillian Formation sediments atop five plateaus in southeastern Gabon, where early diagenetic processes involving organic matter drove manganese concentration as primary rhodochrosite - subsequently overprinted by weathering that converted most of the carbonate to manganite and other oxides. Rhodochrosite survived only in specific vuggy zones where weathering was incomplete, crystallizing as scalenohedral prisms to 9 mm in cavities within the dense black manganite matrix, the stark contrast between cherry-red to reddish-brown gemmy crystals and the surrounding black ore being the defining visual. A ScienceDirect study on lateritic manganese profiles confirmed that manganite at Moanda forms by direct replacement of rhodochrosite, which explains both the rarity of intact crystals and why even modest specimens carry scientific interest as survivors of that replacement process. The known specimen-producing windows date primarily to the 1960s through early 1980s, with no significant material documented since. The mine, operated by Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué, continues producing industrial ore at high volume; rhodochrosite simply no longer survives in the portions now being worked, making all collector material genuinely old-stock with a fixed and diminishing supply.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Moanda Mine, Haut-Ogooué Province, Gabon","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48392062501152,"sku":"CMRCH001","price":1850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0030-2_f85926ce-fc7f-43dd-abbb-524ab272c6f6.jpg?v=1774032842"},{"product_id":"wulfenite","title":"WULFENITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eDozens of super sharp, light brown, water clear wulfies sitting on top of a dark matrix. These blades are well defined for the iconic Tsumeb Mine, with sharp beveled edges, and their color is characteristic for the locale. Many of them are pristine, only a couple broken crystals and some with minor edge wear. A few of the crystals diffract light into rainbow prisms, so under the right lighting this is a super colorful specimen!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/0b6a0baa6d03450295b1674cf85f1cae.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the secondary lead minerals produced by Tsumeb's supergene oxidation, wulfenite stands out for the sheer breadth of what a single locality can express within one species. Fluid inclusion homogenization temperatures from Gilg et al. (2003) constrain crystallization to roughly 55°C - the low end of supergene conditions - with molybdate ions precipitating from descending fluids reacting with lead-rich carbonate host. The dominant habit is thick tabular with beveled edges imparted by pyramid face modification, typically in caramel orange to sherry-brown; the most productive horizon was the interval between 28 and 32 Levels in the second oxidation zone, where Bartelke's documented pocket finds of the mid-1970s included wulfenite with dioptase and wulfenite on tennantite. A rare and scientifically contentious subset produces deep blue to blue-gray crystals with steep pyramidal to prismatic habits, informally termed \"chillagite\"; Embrey et al. (1977) disputed the tungsten-bearing interpretation applied by analogy to Australian chillagite, instead attributing the color to partial reduction of Mo⁶⁺ to Mo⁴⁺. Pinch and Wilson documented the full color range as spanning colorless through pink, yellow, orange, greenish-brown, light blue, and very dark blue - a color and habit diversity unmatched by any other single wulfenite locality. With the mine permanently closed since 1996 and all material now old-stock, the blue crystals in particular represent one of the more genuinely rare subsets in the broader Tsumeb secondary mineral suite.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tsumeb Mine, Oshikoto Region, Namibia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48392065941792,"sku":"CMWLF009","price":675.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_2567-2_cec71e75-a02d-4d1e-bef5-5d46cf200617.jpg?v=1774305406"},{"product_id":"prehnite-epidote","title":"PREHNITE \u0026 EPIDOTE","description":"\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eAggregate of large, spherical prehnite grown together with prismatic epidote. When these specimens from Mali first hit the market in the mid 2000's, they became a big deal in the collecting world and the gold standard for this mineral combination, and this is easily one of the nicest I've seen. Many specimens were brought onto the market, and there were still hardly ever any with this combination of outstanding aesthetics and size. The color is some of the best of these finds, and when backlit correctly the glow is honeydew melon green. The epidote gives strong balance with the hues and creates a natural base along the bottom. On the backside you can see complete crystals of epidote embedded in between overlapping prehnite spheres, and many of the epidote here are doubly terminated. In fantastic condition, with barely noticeable points of contact on the top. There are also a couple of areas on the back where some epidote crystals were removed from the surrounding prehnite; I wouldn't even consider these damage and they add to the display in a positive way. Comes with a custom lucite base to prop it up and allow it to stand out in a cabinet. Though the base is labeled as Sandaré, this is a well-known misnomer, likely stemming from its status as a \"checkpoint\" of sorts when bringing specimens from the workings from the diggings further south to the capital of Bamako.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/a23a0e8d38364b9498aaa581d6db01e5.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDiakon Commune sits in rolling savannah country of western Mali where diabase intrusions into the local sedimentary sequence generated localized skarn zones - the geological context documented by Rock Currier during a 2006 locality visit and formally published with Demetrius Pohl in the \u003cem\u003eMineralogical Record\u003c\/em\u003e (42:231–250, 2011), which also corrected the persistent trade misattributions to \"Sandaré\" and \"Sadiola Hill\" that had circulated since the material first appeared. Prehnite crystallized as a calcium aluminum silicate hydroxide in open cavities within the skarn, its apple-green color driven by iron substitution in the aluminum site; epidote developed as the primary matrix phase, with short prismatic crystals providing the scaffolding on which prehnite botryoids grew. A distinct pale blue-green prehnite with clamshell overgrowths and amphibole inclusions also circulates under \"Mali\" attribution but originates from Matia near Yelimane - a different geological setting producing a visually and mineralogically distinct material that is frequently conflated with Diakon specimens in the trade. Supply has been periodically refreshed by artisanal digging, keeping prices accessible relative to the aesthetic quality the best floaters represent.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Diakon Commune, Kayes Region, Mali","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48392069677344,"sku":"CMPRH001","price":3200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0133_fa6b43ac-8e11-46d0-85a7-1986d23b92f0.jpg?v=1773954134"},{"product_id":"silver-on-calcite","title":"SILVER ON CALCITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eFrom newer finds in the Bouismas silver mine, we have this vertical growth of milky white calcite adorned with well-crystallized native silver. The contrast and growth is gorgeous, and its sculptural appearance certainly gives it nice display value. The calcite glows red in almost any UV wavelength.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/85b27195967c49f8946f7ac8c84bdd79.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBouismas is one of the easternmost workings in the Bou Azzer district, a Neoproterozoic five-element vein-type deposit in which Co-Ni arsenides, native silver, and bismuth mineralized in fractures cutting serpentinized Precambrian peridotite - the world's only major cobalt district where the metal is mined as a primary commodity rather than a byproduct. Silver at Bouismas occurs in a distinct sulfide-sulfosalt stage overprinting the earlier arsenide mineralization, with Mindat documenting a silver-rich vein worked from mid-2008 through spring 2010 that also produced partial pseudomorphs of allargentum and minor dyscrasite. Native silver from this window formed as arborescent and dendritic growths on white calcite matrix; a subset shows cubic and spinel-twinned crystals of unusual sharpness for the species. Most specimens arrived encased in calcite requiring careful mechanical preparation to expose the silver within. Proustite occurs as a notable associate on some matrix pieces, adding red sulfosalt contrast against the calcite. The documented production window was narrow and the vein is now exhausted, meaning all available material is fixed to what was recovered during those roughly two years of activity - a tight supply that has kept Bouismas silver consistently underrepresented in Western collections relative to its quality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bouismas Mine, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48392077639968,"sku":"CMSLV001","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/SLVR1-1.jpg?v=1776192172"},{"product_id":"silver-acanthite-on-calcite","title":"SILVER \u0026 ACANTHITE ON CALCITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eLeaf-like growths of crystalline silver popping out of white calcite, all on top of a plate of acanthite. I've seen a lot of specimens from this locality with silver lightly draped over matrix, this one is exceptionally three-dimensional by comparison. One branch of silver is protruding upwards with a crystal of acanthite at the top, delicately balanced for a rich addition to the assemblage. Fantastic luster throughout as well as UV reactivity in the calcite makes this a fine specimen from a great silver locality.\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-73110a25-7fff-1d89-44db-f8edc941c879\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/c2247e88628d4d279549e4ff295d1bbe.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBouismas is one of the easternmost workings in the Bou Azzer district, a Neoproterozoic five-element vein-type deposit in which Co-Ni arsenides, native silver, and bismuth mineralized in fractures cutting serpentinized Precambrian peridotite - the world's only major cobalt district where the metal is mined as a primary commodity rather than a byproduct. Silver at Bouismas occurs in a distinct sulfide-sulfosalt stage overprinting the earlier arsenide mineralization, with Mindat documenting a silver-rich vein worked from mid-2008 through spring 2010 that also produced partial pseudomorphs of allargentum and minor dyscrasite. Native silver from this window formed as arborescent and dendritic growths on white calcite matrix; a subset shows cubic and spinel-twinned crystals of unusual sharpness for the species. Most specimens arrived encased in calcite requiring careful mechanical preparation to expose the silver within. Proustite occurs as a notable associate on some matrix pieces, adding red sulfosalt contrast against the calcite. The documented production window was narrow and the vein is now exhausted, meaning all available material is fixed to what was recovered during those roughly two years of activity - a tight supply that has kept Bouismas silver consistently underrepresented in Western collections relative to its quality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bouismas Mine, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48398873919776,"sku":"CMSLV002","price":350.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0549_239ed6a0-dc00-4de5-9f06-837572b328ac.jpg?v=1774063510"},{"product_id":"vanadinite-on-barite-1","title":"VANADINITE ON BARYTE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreat coverage of bright red vanadinite atop light baryte, some of which has been coated with an epitaxial layer of a darker mineral, likely goethite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/50e018f9dfd044c3bca9d4be29fbd78d.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMibladen is a stratiform Pb-Ba deposit hosted in Lower Jurassic (Liassic) limestones and dolomites of the High Atlas approximately 25 km northeast of Midelt, mined commercially for lead by French operators from the mid-1930s until closure in 1983. Vanadinite formed secondarily as the arid climate of the Atlas facilitated oxidation of galena without the interference of significant rainfall; vanadium sourced from the surrounding sedimentary sequence combined with lead in the oxidation zone to precipitate the hexagonal lead chlorovanadate. Crystals are typically thick tabular to prismatic hexagonal prisms, predominantly deep red to orange-red, with color zoning occasionally visible as a saturated orange core transitioning to deeper red toward the prism terminations; a rare subset displays skeletal growth on prism faces producing a translucent cat's-eye effect when viewed down the c-axis. Most specimens are floaters or occur on tan baryte and limonite matrix. Since the industrial closure, the deposit has been worked periodically by small-scale Moroccan miners sinking shallow shafts from surface - a 2019 discovery sparked a significant mining rush producing new material after years of the market depending entirely on old stock. Praszkier's 2013 \u003cem\u003eMineralogical Record\u003c\/em\u003e account remains the definitive published treatment of the locality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mibladen Mining District, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48398922711328,"sku":"CMVNA017","price":375.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_0520-2.jpg?v=1774213385"},{"product_id":"fluorite-on-quartz-2","title":"FLUORITE ON QUARTZ","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eRiemvasmaak fluorite has had a place in the hearts of fluorite collectors worldwide since its discovery in the early 2000’s, and it's easy to see why when seeing their beautiful color and sharp, octahedral form. Aside from the characteristic mesmerizing hues of green within the intergrown fluorite octahedrons, they're laying on a bed of white quartz that serves to elevate the display. Aesthetic combination specimens from Riemvasmaak with both species together have always been the most desirable, and the the form of this one gives it the ability to be displayed well in numerous positions. The octahedrons are in excellent condition, and some very minor edge wear doesn't detract from the high quality of display. As is standard for these  fluorites, they pop out a deep blue under UV.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/e50316aea99b47eaabe603ec1d2a48c7.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRiemvasmaak sits roughly 60 km from Kakamas in remote desert terrain between the Orange and Molopo rivers, within the 1.3-billion-year-old Namaqua-Natal Metamorphic Province - specifically the Kakamas zone, a high-grade gneissic terrane flanking the Orange River where fluorite occurs in pegmatites and associated veins. The cause of the vivid green color remains incompletely resolved; geochemical testing documented a suite of rare-earth elements including cerium, europium, and gadolinium in the fluorite structure, and a rare-earth charge-transfer mechanism analogous to that documented at the William Wise Mine in New Hampshire is the leading hypothesis. Crystals form sharp, often gemmy octahedra - occasionally modified by cube faces - frequently associated with drusy quartz or amethyst on matrix, though specimens typically arrived on market encrusted in a sugary secondary quartz coating requiring HF treatment before the fluorite color becomes visible. Locality specimens were known to the Johannesburg Geology Museum from the 1970s, but the material only entered international circulation at Munich in late 2006; a particularly productive window from roughly 2010 to 2013 yielded the finest examples documented. Multiple distinct fluorite occurrences exist within the broader Riemvasmaak area, and loose locality attribution in the trade makes precise provenance within the district difficult to establish for most specimens.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Riemvasmaak, Northern Cape, South Africa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49065496510752,"sku":"CMFLR013","price":700.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_1093_5ee1999f-95d1-4b38-b35d-e20883fba56b.jpg?v=1773784559"},{"product_id":"zincolivenite","title":"ZINCOLIVENITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOutstanding and rare thumbnail of zincolivenite (formerly thought to be cuprian adamite) from Tsumeb, held as producer of the best known samples of this species. Specimens with this combination of intense color, phenomenal form, and glassy luster only came out of Tsumeb's second oxidation zone in the 80's, and this one represents the best of the best of all those attributes. Make no mistake about it, this is absolutely a competition level TN, with brilliant emerald color, attention-grabbing visuals, and size just small enough to fit into a perky. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/0159d412939e4789aee2c63f9dbbe419.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZincolivenite occupies an intermediate position in the adamite-olivenite solid solution series, with roughly equal copper and zinc substitution - the balance of these two elements shifts both chemistry and color, producing the spearmint to emerald greens characteristic of the species versus the darker, more olive tones of copper-dominant olivenite. At Tsumeb, the second oxidation zone generated the conditions needed to precipitate the species from arsenate-bearing supergene fluids percolating through the dolomite host, with the most significant material recovered during the early 1980s by John Innes, the mine's chief mineralogist at the time. Crystals occur as short prismatic to acicular individuals rarely exceeding 3–4 mm, typically forming dense drusy crusts or divergent sprays on quartz with occasional wulfenite association. A subset of specimens now in circulation were originally labeled cuprian adamite before electron microprobe analysis clarified their true composition; provenance documentation matters considerably for this species. The mine's closure in 1996 fixed supply absolutely, and zincolivenite has received growing attention as collectors working through Tsumeb's secondary mineral suite recognize it as among the more chemically nuanced species the deposit produced.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tsumeb Mine, Oshikoto Region, Namibia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49123173957920,"sku":"CMZNL001","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_1208.jpg?v=1774310208"},{"product_id":"smithsonite-1","title":"SMITHSONITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eAn excellent example of Tsumeb's legendary pink smithsonite, showcasing an expansive coverage of rosy rhombohedral crystals across contrasting sulfide matrix. The specimen's delicate hue and distinctive curved crystal faces suggest a cobalt-rich variety, though the precise chromophore mix of cobalt, iron, and manganese that creates these coveted colors remains part of Tsumeb's mystique. Dating from the mine's golden era several decades ago, specimens of this size and quality rarely emerge on today's market. While surface bruising is present, it does little to diminish the piece's significance as a great representative of both the species and this world-famous Namibian locality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/76cc6769c22947ce96af764760316e00.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSmithsonite was the second most abundant secondary mineral at Tsumeb behind cerussite, distributed across all three oxidation zones of the Otavi dolomite-hosted pipe body and present in virtually every part of the deposit. The extraordinary color range - apple-green from copper substitution, vivid pink-rose from cobalt, deeper red-pink from manganese, and cadmium yellow - reflects the exceptional chemical complexity of Tsumeb's ore, which concentrated an unusual assemblage of trace metals alongside the dominant zinc. Tsumeb stands as essentially the only locality to have produced well-formed, large rhombohedral smithsonite crystals in quantity; most other world occurrences are restricted to botryoidal masses. The famous \"Blue Pocket\" of the mid-1970s and the substantial cobaltoan productions from 28 Level in the second oxidation zone during the late 1970s represent the peaks of specimen output. A particularly rare subset - smithsonite pseudomorphing azurite crystals from West 20 Stope, 29 Level - produced hollow copper-carbonate shells retaining the azurite form, from what appears to have been a single pocket. With the mine closed since 1996 and the Tsumeb Mine Notebook classifying smithsonite as merely \"very common\" in terms of availability, the paradox is that while specimens circulate regularly, anything above average quality has become genuinely difficult to source.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tsumeb Mine, Oshikoto Region, Namibia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49432792727840,"sku":"cmsmth002","price":1900.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_1400-3.jpg?v=1774066536"},{"product_id":"malachite","title":"MALACHITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eHere's a rich specimen of malachite, composed of numerous stalactitic columns with a gorgeous chatoyancy, as well as a sparkling glimmer along its edges. Adding to the specimen is the hand-carved wooden base that comes with it. The base is set to depict an east Asian countryside with intricate houses, trees, and animals, with the malachite as the centerpiece, representing a skarn mountain covered with greenery. Seeing how many specimens were shipped directly from this locality to China, it was most likely carved there. There's little doubt that some of the best - if not the best - primary malachite has come from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and it’s all the better when you get an example that displays as well as this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/f897712921ed4b13a5cba70f7b967ff2.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Star of the Congo operates within the Katanga Copperbelt's Pan-African Lufilian fold-and-thrust belt, where a ScienceDirect study confirmed that malachite formed through REE-depleted groundwater environments percolating downward through oxidized copper sulfides, with carbonate ions from dissolving dolomitic host rock combining with dissolved copper to precipitate the secondary carbonate in open karstic cavities. What distinguishes L'Étoile du Congo from most other Katanga malachite sources is a recurring production of primary crystallized malachite - crystals that formed their own habit directly rather than as pseudomorphic replacements of azurite, displaying triangular to diamond-shaped crystal outlines to roughly 1 cm over rounded emerald-green aggregate bases. A 2016–2017 pocket produced a particularly unusual two-generation primary malachite: earlier deep evergreen crystals overcoated by a second generation of velvety botryoidal malachite, the contrast in color and texture on a single piece being without close parallel in the Katanga district. Chrysocolla and malachite stalactite combinations - where teal chrysocolla either underlies or overlies botryoidal malachite in concentric layers - represent a third distinct expression from the mine. The variety of mineralogically distinct malachite expressions from a single locality, rather than any single find, constitutes the mine's primary scientific and collector significance.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"L'Etoile du Congo Mine, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49731870294304,"sku":"","price":2700.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_1604-3_8c7ae77e-a6f6-4e78-96fa-729b8510dc45.jpg?v=1773814564"},{"product_id":"beryl-var-aquamarine-on-schorl","title":"BERYL VAR. AQUAMARINE ON SCHORL","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThis distinctive style of beryl is a trademark of this Namibian region, coming from a 2000 find and characterized by crystals consisting mostly of goshenite (colorless) to heliodor (pale yellow), which are in turn capped off by light blue aquamarine terminations. The crystals here are scattered in all directions in jackstraw groupings, all embedded in a fine schorl matrix, with quartz and what may be fluorite off in the corner. It's an instantly recognizable style with its own distinct flair, and this one is a large and dynamic example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/c14d969646e5436aa3dada5fe9516a96.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bi-colored beryl specimens from Bergsig Farm 167 occur within miarolitic cavities of highly evolved granitic pegmatites. The crystals form during late-stage pegmatite crystallization at temperatures between 300-400°C. Distinctive color zoning results from varying iron oxidation states during crystal growth, producing sharp boundaries between colorless to yellow (goshenite\/heliodor) and blue-green (aquamarine) sections within single crystals. The specimens typically display well-developed hexagonal prismatic habits with dominant first-order prism faces and basal pinacoids. Crystal sizes range from 2-15cm in length. Associated minerals include smoky quartz, black tourmaline, and cleavelandite. These specimens represent a unique example of varying oxidation conditions during beryl crystallization within evolved pegmatitic systems, where fluctuating oxygen fugacity produces distinct color zones.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bergsig Farm 167, Erongo Region, Namibia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49731874717984,"sku":"","price":4350.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/AQUA1-1.jpg?v=1774766309"},{"product_id":"elbaite","title":"ELBAITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eTrue eye candy of a tourmaline specimen: a large, doubly-terminated single crystal with vivid color zoning from end to end. At the top is a sharp termination with vibrant green coloration, which gradually fades to a more subtle blue-green hue. In the middle is a band of achroite (colorless tourmaline) which possesses gem clarity, giving way further down to another section of light blue color. Approaching the other end, the color turns to a rich pink, with another thin layer of green all the way on the pinacoidal termination. This crystal comes from newer finds in Nigeria, and the size and gemminess makes it a real standout.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/452468283e554afdb6a2c52f7fe168e4.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"width: 100%; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"width: 100%; text-align: center;\"\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNigerian elbaite occurs within a 400-kilometer-long NE-SW trending pegmatite belt formed during the Pan-African orogeny, with mineralization dated between approximately 565-450 Ma during post-collisional extension. The pegmatites intrude Precambrian schist belts and migmatite-gneiss complexes as discordant dikes, with lithium enrichment developing during extreme fractionation of granitic melts. Jagindi District specimens display polychromatic crystals with vivid color zoning - combinations of pink, green, blue, and colorless (achroite) zones within single crystals reaching 2-4 cm. Doubly-terminated examples show particularly intense coloration from green to pink terminations with clear zones between. These tourmalines formed in lithium-enriched pocket zones alongside muscovite, lepidolite, and spodumene during pneumatolytic crystallization. What distinguishes Nigerian elbaite is the exceptional gem clarity combined with dramatic color transitions; specimens rival Brazilian material for transparency while showing distinctive zoning patterns. Most collector material emerged during finds in the 2000s-2010s, though the majority went to gem cutting rather than specimen markets. Production continues sporadically from small-scale mining operations throughout the pegmatite belt.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jagindi, Kaduna State, Nigeria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49731875275040,"sku":"","price":3250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/ELBA2-1.jpg?v=1775515126"},{"product_id":"beryl-var-emerald","title":"BERYL VAR. EMERALD","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eExtraordinary quality single crystal of emerald from a deposit in Madagascar that was worked from the 70's through the 90's. Being of an alluvial origin, the crystal is waterworn, yet it still shows fantastic form with a complete termination and a light coating of biotite mica, also being undamaged to boot. It displays vibrant green color with backlighting, and at over 6 cm it stands at an exceptional crystal size, both for the locality and for any crystal of emerald from any locality worldwide. This piece represents a great opportunity for collectors of emerald or general gem species to grab a standout crystal from a locality that’s not often seen on the market.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/36da04cd76414479b19826ee20d245eb.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMining began in the Mananjary region during the mid-1970s after initial alluvial discoveries, with operations at Ambodibakoly exploiting placer deposits from approximately 1975-1982 before expanding to primary hard-rock workings at multiple open-pit mines between 1983-1995. The deposits occur where granitic pegmatites intrude mafic to ultramafic rocks, with emerald forming in phlogopite-rich (biotite-group mica) reaction zones at these contacts through metasomatic processes tied to Pan-African orogenic events around 550 Ma. Crystals reach multiple centimeters displaying colors from pale to intense bluish-green with gem-quality transparency in the best examples. Emerald and fluorine-rich phlogopite formed together when magmatic-hydrothermal fluids from cooling pegmatites reacted with chromium-bearing amphibolites and hornblendites at approximately 500°C and 2 kbar pressure. What distinguishes Mananjary emeralds is their characteristic inclusion assemblages - particularly talc, carbonates, amphiboles, and specific fluid inclusion types. The famous Morafeno mine produced the 536-kilogram \"Heaven's Gift Emerald\" specimen in 2007. Recent production from mines like Ambodivandrika and Ambatomaneno continues under descendants of original discoverer Jeannot Andrianjafy.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mananjary District, Vatovavy Fitovinany, Madagascar","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50043456323872,"sku":"","price":3200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/EMRL3-1.jpg?v=1774985823"},{"product_id":"malachite-shattuckite-on-quartz","title":"MALACHITE \u0026 SHATTUCKITE ON QUARTZ","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eVisually superb specimen from finds in Namibia. A highly lustrous, richly colored prismatic crystal of malachite sits right atop the contrasting quartz base, with light blue, botryoidal growths of shattuckite adding a beautiful layer atop the whole ensemble. While the combination of shattuckite and malachite isn't all too uncommon, primary malachite rarely forms as free standing crystals in this association. The contrast and balance between the  three elements combine to make for a really choice miniature!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/bd79d3db1fe54d65beed4fd17f645105.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeoproterozoic copper-bearing dolomites and argillites of the Devede Formation in the Damara Supergroup, part of the Ombombo Subgroup deposited around 760 Ma. The deposits formed through oxidation of primary copper sulfides in hydrothermal veins emplaced during the Pan-African Damara Orogeny between 600-530 Ma. Specimens display botryoidal and spherical aggregates of deep blue shattuckite reaching up to 1 cm diameter, characteristically perched on milky quartz matrix with acicular sprays of emerald green \"primary\" malachite that formed directly as malachite rather than as an alteration from azurite. The visual contrast between velvet blue shattuckite and lustrous green malachite makes these combinations particularly striking. What distinguishes Kandesei is its status as one of the world's premier shattuckite localities - the mine produced exceptional specimens during the 2000s-2010s, with notable finds documented by Charlie Key around 2005-2010. Mining has since been largely abandoned, making quality material increasingly scarce.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kandesei, Kunene Region, Namibia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50595455893792,"sku":null,"price":800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/SHTK1-1.jpg?v=1755279352"},{"product_id":"rhodochrosite-1","title":"RHODOCHROSITE","description":"\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNice thumbnail of classic N'Chwaning rhodochrosite showing bright luster, gem transparency, and rich, strawberry-red color. The crystals show an unusual growth pattern, with a predominantly scalenohedral habit, as is standard for this area, with rhombohedral modifications at the terminations. South African rhodochrosite thumbnails tend to be single crystals that blend together in terms of visuals, but this one is has a nice grouping of crystals that aren't too densely clustered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" preload=\"metadata\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/e3ec2662ae574bdfa80449632a8f476a.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe N'Chwaning I Mine opened in 1972 to exploit manganese ore within the Paleoproterozoic Hotazel Formation, part of the Transvaal Supergroup deposited around 2.2 billion years ago. In 1977, miners struck a major vuggy zone at the working face, yielding hundreds of world-class rhodochrosite specimens in a chaotic rush that resulted in significant losses. The crystals form as scalenohedral \"dogtooth\" habits and wheat-sheaf bundles in colors ranging from wine-red to cherry-red, with individual scalenohedral crystals reaching up to 7 cm and clusters exceeding 20 cm. What makes N'Chwaning I material globally significant is the exceptional combination of mirror-like luster, gemmy transparency, and intense color saturation - these specimens rival Colorado's Sweet Home Mine and instantly displaced Germany's Wolf Mine rhodochrosites as the world standard when discovered. The crystals typically occur on black manganite matrix with occasional quartz and gypsum associations. Formation occurred through recent supergene processes unrelated to the billion-year-old Wessels-type hydrothermal alteration, making these geologically young specimens in ancient host rocks. With specimen recovery essentially ended and the mine focused on ore production, authentic 1977-era N'Chwaning I material commands premium prices among systematic collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"N'Chwaning I Mine, Northern Cape, South Africa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50595522478368,"sku":null,"price":450.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_1849-2.jpg?v=1774034243"},{"product_id":"veszelyite-on-zincolibethenite","title":"VESZELYITE ON ZINCOLIBETHENITE","description":"\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVeszelyite has been a highly treasured species since the famous Montana finds decades back, and more recent finds in the Republic of the Congo have produced a number of specimens that have made it more accessible to collectors. Atop a layer of softly contrasting blue-green zincolibethenite, the veszelyite here forms groupings that reach over an inch across, and the individual faces are super lustrous. When light hits from the right angles, one can see the alluring blue hues that make the species so desirable. An excellent example for size class, nicely balanced all around.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/54a706e5fb974bf09feac7881a3be116.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"width: 100%; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"width: 100%; text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"width: 100%; text-align: center;\"\u003eMORE INFO:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"width: 100%; text-align: center;\"\u003eThe Palabanda Quarries host Pb-Zn-Cu mineralization in Neoproterozoic limestones similar to other carbonate-hosted deposits in the Central African Copperbelt, though the Congo Republic occurrences are geographically separated from the main Katangan belt deposits. The quarries were intensively explored in the 1940s-1960s but modern mining with ore processing only began in 2016, ceasing by 2018. Spirifer Minerals systematically collected veszelyite specimens during 2017-2019 operations, with notable finds continuing through summer 2023. The veszelyite forms as lustrous dark blue monoclinic crystals reaching 7 mm, typically on hemimorphite matrix with occasional associations including zincolibethenite - an olive-green copper zinc phosphate arsenate that creates striking color contrast against the deep blue veszelyite. What makes these combinations significant is veszelyite's extreme rarity, with macroscopic crystals known from only a handful of localities worldwide. The 2023 finds produced specimens with unusually isolated crystals distinct from earlier dense carpets, making them particularly valued by systematic collectors. Palabanda represents one of the finest known sources for this species, with specimens distributed at Tucson 2024 establishing new reference material for the mineral.\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Palabanda Quarries, Bouenza Department, Republic of the Congo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50595587326240,"sku":null,"price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_2024-4.jpg?v=1774303295"},{"product_id":"azurite","title":"AZURITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eCluster of sharp azurite crystals with a deep blue hue, showing intense royal blue flashes when hit with light from the right angles. The largest crystal rises up through the middle and is well terminated. Many of the smaller side crystals are contacted, yet the whole piece is largely free from any actual damage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/83b4c577ac3c4ea282e080bf4b0b64f5.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Touissit-Bou Beker district comprises Mississippi Valley-type lead-zinc deposits hosted in Middle Jurassic (Aalenian-Bajocian, 174-168 Ma) dolomitized carbonate platform rocks, with mineralization related to basinal brine circulation during the Messinian Salinity Crisis around 5-6 Ma. Azurite forms through supergene weathering of primary galena-sphalerite ores, creating some of the most intensely colored and lustrous specimens known. The crystals typically display deep royal blue to near-cobalt coloration with exceptional clarity, occurring as tabular blades, rosettes, or complex intergrown forms reaching several centimeters. Notable finds include the late January 1990 recovery from the abandoned Bou Beker mine, which produced large miniatures to cabinet-sized specimens with both rosette-like plates and blocky crystals showing bright blue overgrowth faces alternating with darker zones. Production from various shafts - particularly Puits XII (Shaft XII) - yielded specimens often associated with malachite and cerussite on matrix. What distinguishes Touissit azurite is the characteristic silky to adamantine luster combined with color intensity rivaling Tsumeb and Bisbee material. European collectors have long recognized Touissit as a premier azurite locality, though the mines ceased operation decades ago.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Touissit, Oriental Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51069322985760,"sku":null,"price":400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_2271-2.jpg?v=1768780940"},{"product_id":"proustite","title":"PROUSTITE","description":"\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eQuality proustite is highly coveted by collectors everywhere, owing to its visually striking appearance and its nature as a silver-bearing mineral. This cabinet-size specimen comes from the famed Imiter Mine, and it's by far one of the richest specimens I've seen from Morocco. Featuring a large display face with essentially uninterrupted coverage, the crystals are bunched into rounded groupings that make the arrangement very three-dimensional. On the edges are larger crystals that measure to 6mm, some of them showing blood red flashes when in light. These newer finds helped make the species more accessible to collectors for a lower cost as compared to their classic counterparts in Chile and central Europe (were this specimen to have come from either, its value would be astronomical). From the collection of Bob Werner, who purchased it from Horst Burkard in 2006.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"controls\" playsinline=\"\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"autoplay\"\u003e\n  \u003csource type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/cd2c9abf14ef4b708656d41c476253d5.mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThe Imiter Mine represents a world-class Neoproterozoic epithermal Ag-Hg vein deposit formed around 550 Ma during late Ediacaran extensional tectonics and rhyolitic volcanism. The deposit occurs along the transcrustal Imiter fault zone cutting Cryogenian black schists, with silver mineralization including proustite, argentite, polybasite, acanthite, and native silver-mercury amalgam. Proustite forms as blood-red to crimson prismatic crystals, typically ranging from sub-millimeter up to 2 cm, often as sprays or rosette clusters on white calcite matrix or associated with native silver. What makes Imiter proustite significant is the mine's status as one of few modern localities producing quality crystallized material of this light-sensitive ruby silver species. The deposit formed through degassing-driven precipitation from mantle-sourced fluids, making it a Precambrian analog to modern epithermal systems. Mining continues actively, though specimen-quality proustite appears sporadically depending on vein zones accessed.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Imiter Mine, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51069347725600,"sku":null,"price":4600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_2305-2.jpg?v=1773954488"},{"product_id":"calcite-with-hematite","title":"CALCITE WITH HEMATITE","description":"\u003ch3\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eCalcite from Tsumeb comes in all shapes and colors, with one of the most recognizable varieties being those included with rich, earthy red hematite. This is a nice, large, and dense cluster, featuring blocky crystals showing different growth formations, as well as some thinner, lenticular crystals stacked into a tower of sorts. The inclusions are nicely dispersed and plainly visible, and it’s in great condition for what it is!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/0426be4410324d169fe33ffe87dce49b.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTsumeb's hematite-included calcite forms in the oxidation zones of the mine's unique pipe structure, where groundwater penetrated deeply through karstic dolomite to depths exceeding 800 meters. The specimens typically display sharp rhombohedral crystals, ranging from translucent to deeply opaque, colored brick-red to ruddy brown by microscopic hematite grains dispersed throughout the calcite structure. Some pieces show phantom zoning where hematite accumulated on earlier growth surfaces before being overgrown by clear calcite, while others contain uniformly disseminated inclusions that completely saturate the crystals. What makes these geologically interesting is their formation context - they crystallized from carbonate-rich solutions in vuggy oxidation zones, with the hematite derived from weathering of iron-bearing primary sulfides like pyrite. The color intensity varies significantly based on hematite concentration, creating a spectrum from salmon-tinted specimens to examples so heavily included they're nearly opaque. Tsumeb produced calcite in extraordinary variety due to the mine's three separate oxidation zones and complex paragenesis, but the hematite-included pieces remain distinctive for their characteristic \"chocolate calcite\" appearance when heavily saturated with inclusions.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tsumeb Mine, Oshikoto Region, Namibia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51240364114208,"sku":null,"price":825.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/CALC4-1.jpg?v=1774999228"},{"product_id":"rhodochrosite-2","title":"RHODOCHROSITE","description":"\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eABOUT THE SPECIMEN\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eFull coverage of gemmy, rich, raspberry red rhodochrosite hosted atop a bed of manganite matrix. A majority of the crystals are formed as tightly bunched clusters of scalenohedra which are truncated to give the tops of the clusters an almost rounded look, while still showing sharp faces along the sides. Some tiny quartz growths are visible atop the crystals and around their bases. This particular growth style is both highly desirable and characteristic for the Hotazel Mine, which preceded the finds at the N'Chwaning Mines. Individual scalenohedra are also present throughout, and the excellent translucency makes it absolutely glow with backlighting! Although it was sold to us as having come from the N'Chwaning mines, we can, again, say that it's almost certainly older Hotazel material based on style. Some very minor nicks and edge wear are present, yet it feels like splitting hairs to mention, considering in how good of condition it is for this material. For a locality whose specimens frequently reach five- and six-figure range prices, this is an excellent and more affordable example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eVIDEO\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cvideo autoplay=\"autoplay\" muted=\"\" loop=\"loop\" playsinline=\"\" controls=\"controls\" style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\"\u003e\n  \u003csource src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/videos\/c\/o\/v\/3084c75d786e42f9a7c531af769dd485.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\u003e\u003c\/video\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMORE INFO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Hotazel Mine produced rhodochrosite specimens during brief finds in the mid-to-late 1970s that remain distinct from the better-known N'Chwaning material. These crystals form as scalenohedral and occasionally truncated scalenohedral forms, typically reaching 1-1.5 cm in length, with colors ranging from cherry-red to salmon-pink depending on iron substitution in the structure. The specimens occur in vugs within massive manganese oxide ore, most commonly associated with hausmannite and manganite, occasionally with braunite and gypsum. What makes Hotazel rhodochrosite geologically significant is its connection to the ~2.4 billion-year-old Hotazel Formation - one of Earth's oldest major manganese accumulations, deposited during the Great Oxidation Event when atmospheric oxygen first rose to appreciable levels. The crystals formed much more recently through relatively shallow oxidation processes, but their host rocks record a critical transition in planetary history. For collectors, prime Hotazel specimens are considerably rarer than the subsequent N'Chwaning finds, with most material collected hastily by miners unfamiliar with specimen preservation. The characteristic luster and color saturation of 1970s Hotazel pieces, particularly those with hemispherical or mounded crystal aggregations, haven't been matched by later production from the field.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hotazel Mine, Northern Cape, South Africa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51240481882400,"sku":null,"price":4800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0749\/5263\/8752\/files\/IMG_2510.jpg?v=1771130915"}],"url":"https:\/\/aetherfineminerals.com\/collections\/africa.oembed?page=4","provider":"Aether Fine Minerals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}